The Harmony process transforms
organic waste streams into premium quality, organic based fertilisers
for use in agriculture, horticulture, golf courses and land remediation.
Bio-Recycle currently owns the license for the Harmony process within
Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Harmony fertilisers
are known as bridge products, as they combine organic matter
with concentrated inorganic nutrients to produce higher analysis, slow-release
fertilisers. This process bridges the gap between relatively
insoluble, low analysis organic fertilisers and water-soluble, high
analysis ones. By combining these benefits, the Harmony process is able
to satisfy the increasing need for environmentally friendly, high-performing
fertilisers.

Within the first
step of the Harmony process, the organic waste stream (such as chicken
manure or biosolids) is mixed with dry, granular chemical fertilisers.
This mixture is then conveyed to the proprietary Reactor, where small
quantities of mineral acids are added to the mix. The addition of the
reagent initiates a chemical reaction within the admixture, whereby
the nitrogen is converted into Water Insoluble Nitrogen (WIN) molecules
of varying length polymer chains. Following the Reactor stage, the mixture
is dried, cooled and graded into homogeneous granules.

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more information, click on the logo.

Within the soil,
these polymer chains release nitrogen at different rates, depending
on the length of the chain. The longer the chain, the more slowly the
nitrogen is released. Hence the Harmony bridge products
are able to release nitrogen to the plant in a controlled manner over
a longer period. For each particular market, the time taken for the
nitrogen within the granule to completely become available may be altered.
In this way, controlled-release, organic-based fertilisers may be manufactured
to suit the many varying market requirements.

The granular fertiliser
product of the Harmony process has many other advantages. The product
has a salt index much lower than many chemical fertilisers, thereby
greatly reducing the effects of chemical burn. The fertiliser
granule is of a consistent size and granularity, providing long lasting
integrity within storage and even-flow spreading. Furthermore, the granules
are generally dust-free, and free of pathogens and unpleasant odours.
The Harmony technology can also incorporate some of the organic waste
stream as fuel, to dry down the granular product.

The Harmony process
also has many benefits for the soil and environment. The organic component
of the bridge product contributes to increased soil microbial
activity and also provides valuable micronutrients.

Over time, organic-based
fertilisers will help rebuild the microbial quality or life
of the soil. Soils with fewer chemical fertilisers will not acidify
or leach nutrients into groundwater as quickly, and as more nutrients
from organic and organic-based fertilisers remain within the root zone,
they are more efficient in delivering a plants individual requirements.